


Worst Hostage Ever

by Phytine (Taouret)



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, And Gellert did nothing wrong obviously, As usual everything is Abe's fault, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-24
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-12-06 22:52:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18226490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taouret/pseuds/Phytine
Summary: Lots of legends are running about the infamous pirate Gellert Grindelwald, but most of them agree on one thing: he is some kind of demon who is dragging Hell behind him and only leave wrecks destroyed by blue flames on his way.Lots of legends are running about the notorious corsair Albus Dumbledore, but most of them agree on one thing: he is some kind of witch who is able to command to the sea and bring the storm upon his enemies.These stories may or may not be true.But one thing is certain: no one will ever sing the adventure of Aberforth Dumbledore, the one who, after being kidnapped for a tidy ransom by Grindelwald, managed to escape him by being too much annoying, and the matters that followed…





	Worst Hostage Ever

**Author's Note:**

> It's all @Lucky_Moony's fault.   
> Look at what your post made me do...

Usually, Grindelwald wasn’t too fond of drinking. He was drunk after a glass of rum and was ill the following morning. A great pirate he was, really. Yet, it was now a matter of survival. At first, he had thought it was a good idea to kidnap Dumbledore’s brother to recover what Scamander’s monkey had stolen from him. Now, he was convinced it was the worst plan he had ever made.

Indeed, Aberforth, since he had been captured, had decided to test his crew’s nerves severely. First, he had tried to escape multiples times, so they had chained him in the hold. Then he had managed to drill some of the barrels full of rum. And now, he was singing. Nonstop. But they couldn’t do a lot about it: when they had try to gag him, he had began to hum and it wasn’t really better. And the worst was that they were hearing him from the deck. How was it even possible? It was a nightmare. There was no other explanation available.

“Captain!” Vinda called while entering his cabin like a fury. “I ask the permission to cut off the prisoner’s head.”

“Permission denied. If we silence him forever, it will be nice for some times, but then, we would lost our leverage. But most important: Albus will be angry with me. And do we want a war with him? No, we don’t.”

 

It was pretty words from him because two days later, Gellert gave in.

“Take this. We are near the coast, Abernathy is going to lead you onshore. You have enough water and enough food for the travel to the town. And I don’t want to see you ever again on the _Deathly Hallows_.” He said to Aberforth.

The entire crew was behind him and was eager to see the former prisoner leave. They preferred to lose some reputation points rather than to be subjected to this torture one minute longer. Aberforth got onto the small boat and waved his hand at the pirates, a big smile on his face.

“It was a pleasure to be your guest, Grindelwald! I hope I will never see again your nasty self ever again and that my brother destroys you, though!” He yelled after being away from several meters from the _Deathly Hallows_.

However, Gellert didn’t listen: he sighed from relief. The calm was back. And his entire crew seemed to share his opinion. Yet, he had now an other problem: he still couldn’t get back what was _his_. And they hadn’t hunt treasure for some weeks. Maybe it was time to go and research in his maps.

“What do we do, Captain?” Vinda asked – who was still disappointed to not have been allowed to kill Aberforth.

Gellert looked at all thoughtfully. He had his eye-patch on his right one, the one which was white. It was not blind but it was known to be the demon’s eye and it was said that the moment you see them both – the white and the black, you were going to die. Vinda had never known if it had real powers but you couldn’t really say with Grindelwald. However, she was pretty certain that he was keeping it because he thought it gave him some style.

“Maybe it’s time for us to find Peverell’s treasure.”

∞

Albus Dumbledore was angry. It was a rare occurrence but here they were. He had been like this since he had received the following message:

_Albus Dumbledore,_

_I hope you are well, since the last time I saw you was some months ago._

_But going to straight to business, here is the situation:_

_I detain your dear brother Aberforth._

_If you want to get back this idiot alive and in one piece,_

_Your have to give me back what is_ mine

_And something like two hundred gold coins._

_(You were always saying that your brother was a formidable guy,_

_That it was just I who had a problem with him,_

_It’s time to prove your words, my dear.)_

_The exchange will take place on Xander’s Island, the second Wednesday of the following month._

_Come alone, I will do the same, just accompanied by Aberforth._

_If you don’t come, I will take this as a refusal_

_And let my second in command kill him in terrible sufferings._

_Lots of love,_

_Gellert Grindelwald, captain of the_ Deathly Hallows

 

At first, he had tried to find an other solution but at the end, everything had failed. That is why, he was now on Xander’s Island, at their usual spot when they needed to see each other officially. Problem: _he was alone_ with the little bag full of gold coins in his hand. If to all appearance, Albus seemed calm, it was not the case inside: he wanted to kill Grindelwald. It was not enough that the pirate had chosen to stay outlaw when they had the possibility to change that fact, years ago, leaving him and forcing Albus to fight him, no. Of course he needed to kidnap Aberforth because he wanted to get back their pendant. When he had every rights to have it, too.

When the sun began to fade – after having wait the whole day – Albus heard someone coming. For a second, he thought it was Gellert and he took his sabre in hand. Yet, he only saw Minerva. His second-in-hand was watching him with doubtful eyes.

“He is not coming, Captain. His ship isn’t even visible on the horizon. I don’t know what kind of trick he tried to pull on us but…”

“He wouldn’t keep my brother with him. And he has him, it’s certain. Why is he doing this? I really don’t understand him.”

“The pendant he wants,” Minerva asked. “Why is it so important for him? Does it have some power? Grindelwald isn’t known to be vain enough to run after some jewel…”

Albus didn’t meet her gaze. If Minerva noticed it, she didn’t say anything, waiting for an answer from her captain. She had known him since he had abandoned his pirate status, but it was well-known that he had sailed with Grindelwald for years. Dumbledore had never really speak with her about these time. She could feel there was more than he was willing to tell.

“I don’t know, Minerva. I don’t know what runs through his twisted mind. If he wants it, it’s probably important for him. However, if I have to give him back to free my brother, I will do it.”

“We could make some researches about it…” His second-in hand proposed. “I know it’s said you are _quite versed in some Arts_ , but I’m sure if we were to show it to some sea witch…”

“We don’t have time for that. If Grindelwald is not here at the end of the day, when the sun will have totally disappeared, then, I will consider it as a invitation to hunt him down. I just can’t let my brother in his clutches.”

∞

Peverell’s treasure was something Albus and Gellert were dreaming of finding since they were teenagers. They had become pirates because of this. Yet, Albus had abandoned his dream for security and righteousness. It was, at least, how Gellert was seeing it. But now, it was time to prove him his mistake: he would find it (the three legendary items and the glorious richness) and show him he should have stayed with him.

“What are we searching, Captain?” Abernathy asked.

He was following Gellert like a kicked puppy. If he hadn’t been useful, Grindelwald would have probably find a way to make him fall into the sea. Pure accident it would have been, of course. Antonio, his chameleon, looked at Abernathy with disdain. The captain didn’t know if it was his own influence, but his pet had this tendency to be aggressive with anyone except a few selected people. It was as if the others were to good for him. It was probably the case.

“I mean, Peverell’s treasure is a fairy tale…”

“Because you pretend to know everything on these seas? Haven’t you witnessed unbelievable things in our company? Don’t be more stupid than you already are. If we follow this map, we will find what we need.”

In reality, there was no need for a map. His compass – an amazing little thing he had exchanged against some scourges – had the capacity of pointing the direction of what he truly wanted. And right now, he wanted to find the description of what the three legendary objects were.

He was lost in his thoughts, following dutifully the compass when he heard something. Of course, the forest was not without noises, far from it, however, these cracks weren’t natural, he knew it. And he was right because maybe five seconds later, people came from the bushes and attacked them. Fortunately, Gellert had already his hand on his sword. It clashed with a sabre with a clear ringing.

And he knew his present enemy. He would have recognised this bright hair between thousand. He smirked. Around them, the little part of their crew they had taken with them began to fight.

“Dumbledore… A trap, really? You are eager to catch me, aren’t you? I would be interested to know why…”

“You know perfectly why! You didn’t come to the meeting point!”

“Of course, it was perfectly useless! Did you? Didn’t you receive my message?”

“Which message? The one where stated having kidnapped Aberforth? Yes I did!” Dumbledore yelled. “Give him back!”

“But I don’t have him! You seriously think I like him enough to keep him with us? He is long time gone, your shitty brother! It’s not my fault if you don’t read my letter!”

The fight (both physical and verbal) was continuing, making them come nearer and nearer from an old bridge which overlooked a ravine. At the bottom of it, a big river was running. If one of them was to fall, it wouldn’t be deadly. But it wouldn’t nice either.

That’s what Albus thought. And as if there was some mocking god above him, Gellert gave him a blow which made him go backward. But there was now something slippery under his feet and he felt himself fall.

So, he grabbed the first thing he could put his hands on. And it was Gellert.

 

“Ha! Look at what you have done!” Grindelwald shouted as he was trying to take a stronger hold on the root, which was stuck to the ravine.

And of course, the rest of the crew wasn’t here anymore: they had distanced themselves from the other while fighting. Albus was clinging to his boots, hanging in the empty.

“Let you sword go and use both of your hands, you idiot!”

“To let you have a chance to kill me when I’m disarmed? No way!”

“Are you stupid? It’s not as if I could do a lot, right here!”

But Grindelwald was stubborn and kind of irrational when it came to Albus Dumbledore. Especially in the most idiotic situation. His reason was saying to listen to the red-haired, who was right. Yet his pride was screaming to do exactly the opposite thing, just to make a point of it. But Gellert’s indecision was suddenly stopped. The root finally gave way under their combined weight and Grindelwald’s last words were:

“I hate you Dumbledore!”

∞

Vinda was fighting against Minerva with all the rage she had in her. Which meant a lot. Yet, the other woman was meeting each of her blows with the same vigour. The beach was now a battlefield particularly muddled.

They had decided to stay here while the captain and a small group of the crew were exploring the forest to find the treasure. That’s why Vinda and company had been having good time until they had been attacked by Dumbledore’s crew.

And here they were.

McGonagall’s blade grazed her cheek but she avoided it fast enough and counterattacked.

“It’s so annoying… I’m never against the idea of killing people but did you really have to attack us now? We were having a nice day, you know?” Vinda mumbled.

“If you had done your part of the deal, we wouldn’t be here! Where is Aberforth Dumbledore? Give him to us!”

“What are you talking about?” Vinda yelled. “We don’t have him!”

“I don’t believe you!” The other woman retorted.

They continued for some time, trying to find a flaw in each other defence. The problem was that they were both talented. If Vinda’s blows had more strength, Minerva’s ones were faster. However, the tiredness was on the horizon. And Grindelwald’s second in command couldn’t believe the reason of why they were battling.

“Do you mean that we are fighting because you think we still have this idiot?”

“Of course!”

“But we have let him go! The guy was so insufferable that we give him food, water and even some coins to come back to his home!”

“Really?”

“Yes! It was against the promise that he would never put a foot again on our ship! Do you know how to it feels to hear him sing non-stop for days?”

“Even if it’s true, it doesn’t mean that you are not going to steal the pendant! And we can’t let something of price like this between your hands!”

“”Something of price”? Are you speaking about this ugly jewel? It’s not magical at all! I know our captains are weird in general but this is just a trinket from when they were together!”

“When they were together on the _Deathly Hallows_?”

“No, even before. It’s some kind of wedding ring! Dumbledore never speaks to you or what? It just has sentimental value, nothing more!”

“What? So why are we fighting exactly?”

“For the love of slaughtering people?” Vinda proposed.

But Minerva had already lowered her sabre and shouted for the attention of her crew:

“STOP!”

∞

The sun had almost disappeared when they finally managed to come back to the beach. With their injuries, it was a miracle that they did it at all. They had made a truce after getting from the water, it had been better after Gellert had explained him Aberforth’s story.

Their state was terrible and nobody had seemed to come searching for them.

“You are the worst, Gellert, you know that? And what are you doing on this island?”

“You know what am I doing! I do what we should both be doing if you haven’t betrayed me!”

“You are after Peverell’s treasure.”

“Yes! And I’m going to find and say : “I told you so” to your stupid face!”

Dumbledore sighed but didn’t respond anything. Their situation was complicated. Of course, he still wanted to travel across the sea, free from any rules as was doing Gellert. But he also knew it couldn’t last forever: no matter how powerful they were, the world was moving and they needed to do the same if they wanted to survive. But Gellert didn’t want to hear about this. He was stubborn and would go on this path until the end. Even if it meant burning with the ancient world.

And his violent ways didn’t help the whole thing. It wasn’t that Dumbledore considered himself as nice or even merciful. But he wasn’t at Gellert’s level. When he was by his side, he hadn’t really noticed it. Now, with an external point of view, he understood why their reputation had been so bloody, tainted with a bottomless cruelty.

Closing his eyes on every slaughter his former partner had done – and was doing – was not the right thing to do, he knew it. But he was a pirate in his heart, no matter the nice title the Ministry gave him. That is why he didn’t put a lot of effort in his task of capturing him.

“What the fuck is that?”

Gellert’s remark took him from his thoughts. And in fact, it was a weird scene that was before their eyes. Both of their crews had starting a giant fire on the beach and were drinking with each other, as if they were friends or something. It was known that pirates and sailors were not that different but there was a limit. Albus even noticed some of his companions that were in the forest with him when he had attacked Grindelwald.

“What are you doing?” Gellert stammered while watching Vinda drinking from a bottle of wine – she would have never touch rum, she was above it.

“We were tired of waiting for you, so we decided to make a party!” She answered.

“Yeah, captain! You don’t get to be the only one who has fun!”

It was Minerva who had stepped in. She seemed drunk. Dumbledore was pretty surprised: it was the first time he had seen her like this. His second-in-command stumbled and began to laugh, out of control. Gellert and Albus looked at each other: what was happening here?

“It’s because of you that nobody came to help us! What would you have done if we have been dead?”

“Bah… Two monsters like you wouldn’t be killed by some cliff …”

“It reassures me a lot, Vinda, you have no idea…”

“At your service, Captain! Anyway, now it’s time to party!”

At the end, the choice was easy: they would party right now, and come back to their enemy status tomorrow. Not before having visited each other’s bed, probably. But only for searching his pendant in Gellert’s case and coming back on the _Deathly Hallows_ to see if some modification about the attack system had been done in Albus’ one. It would only be professional. Of course.


End file.
